Overzealous fans take game too far

Sports fans are some of the most passionate people. However, some take it too far. It has come to the point in which teams fight until the final buzzer and fans fight to the death.

Take the Dodgers-Giants rivalry for example. In March 2011, Bryan Stow, a San Francisco Giants fan and a married father of two, was taunted, beaten and kicked in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium after enjoying a Dodgers-Giants game. The assailants were wearing Dodgers’ clothing. Stow now suffers from short-term memory loss and needs nearly around-the-clock care.

Last month at AT&T Park in San Francisco following another Dodgers-Giants game, 24-year-old Dodger fan Jonathan Denver was stabbed to death about four blocks away from the stadium after an exchange of trash talking between both groups of fans. This does not include just fans. Even relatives of players are not safe in sports anymore.

On October 1, Dallas Latos, wife of Cincinnati Reds’ starting pitcher Mat Latos, took to Twitter claiming she was assaulted by Pirates’ fans at Budweiser Bow Tie Bar at PNC Park in Pittsburgh during the Reds-Pirates Wild Card game.

“Got punched in the head at least 3 times by a pirates fan so this has been cool,” Latos tweeted.

According to police, the incident happened at the Budweiser Bow Tie Bar when 20 to 30 Pirates and Reds fans shouting at each other led to pushing and shoving. It seems like the casual fan at the stadium cannot be guaranteed leaving without a welt or two.

What happened to fans simply going to the game and rooting for their teams? Soon the most popular sports merchandise will be knives with team logos on it. Fans should stick to painting their faces and wearing jerseys because it seems no one is safe in sports venues in America anymore.